SPRINGFIELD —The Council of State of Governments Midwest Leadership Conference, which includes lawmakers of 11 Midwestern states and four Canadian provinces, swore in State Senator Elgie R. Sims Jr. as chair during the weekend.
“Serving in this role is a tremendous honor as it allows me to represent Illinois while working with and on behalf of m...

SPRINGFIELD—State Senator Elgie R. Sims Jr. (D-Chicago) released the following statement on joining governor-elect J.B. Pritzker’s budget and innovation transition committee:
“I look forward to helping to set priorities that will help J.B. and Juliana and the entire new administration to be successful by putting our state on a path to budgetary ...

SPRINGFIELD—The Senate voted today to override the governor’s veto of legislation that will help students develop the people skills employers are looking for in an effort to better prepare them for the workforce.
State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr. (D-Chicago) sponsored House Bill 4657, which allows students to learn about emotional intelligence in...

CHICAGO – Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr. (D-Chicago) released the following statement after a jury found Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke guilty of second degree murder in the shooting death of Laquan McDonald:
“Today’s verdict represents a positive step in the effort to repair strained relations between law enforcement and many communities. Th...

CHICAGO — The state is investing nearly $14 million dollars in long overdue renovations at Chicago State University (CSU), State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr. (D-Chicago) announced Friday.
Public universities and colleges suffered as a result of Illinois’ two-year budget impasse. The impasse ended with a bipartisan budget passed with an override of...

SPRINGFIELD—Businesses in Illinois will now be able to more easily access resources to help them better compete with companies in neighboring states.
State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr., a Chicago Democrat, sponsored the Illinois Home Grown Business Opportunity Act, which aims to help Illinois businesses identify existing state resources.
“Busines...

CHICAGO—State Senator Elgie R. Sims Jr., a Democrat from Chicago, is pleased to announce the Commission on Police Professionalism will continue to review police practices to ensure better police-community relations.
The commission was established when a groundbreaking law enforcement reform package became law in 2015. This legislation, signed in...

SPRINGFIELD—Businesses in Illinois will now be able to more easily access resources to help them better compete with companies in neighboring states.

State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr., a Chicago Democrat, sponsored the Illinois Home Grown Business Opportunity Act, which aims to help Illinois businesses identify existing state resources.

“Business owners have enough on their plate with the day-to-day challenges of running their businesses. That’s why it’s important that we make it easy for them to find resources to help them prosper in Illinois,” Sims said. “As a state we need to focus our attention on economic development to attract new businesses, but we also need to nurture the companies that are currently in Illinois. I’m confident this legislation will help these businesses better compete and thrive.”

The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity will create a plan to assist cities, towns and villages located along the borders of Illinois. The information will be posted on the department’s website, so businesses throughout the state will have access to it.

“These resources will specifically help businesses along Illinois’ border, but they could help all businesses, which is why we’re making the information available statewide,” Sims said. “Entrepreneurs in my district have made it clear that they need help competing with their out-of-state neighbors, and this law will help Illinois’ businesses do just that.”

Senate Bill 3285 was signed by the governor Friday. It takes effect immediately.